Our table tennis bat configurator

You have your own ideas about how your racket should be built, and look like? You want to have individually customized rubbers and/or a blade? Well, in this case, our racket configurator is the perfect tool for you!

You probably know that nowadays, the choice and possibilities to select two rubbers and one blade are enormous. Once you have made your decision, the next question arises: How can I combine two (possibly very different) rubbers, and any specific blade? For this purpose, TT-SHOP.COM developed the so called bat (or racket) configurator.
And this is how the bat configurator works:
First, choose your blade. The blade is the heart of each table tennis racket, and is a major part of its gaming behavior. The following link contains all blades we offer, sorted by brands:

Table tennis blades: Choose your brand, and check out the manufacturer specifications. you can also find information regarding speed, control, weight, and price.

When clicking on green (font) products, you can choose whether the rubbers shall be mounted or not. Choosing table tennis rubbers (next to the blade, the rubbers are also extremely important to optimize the racket according to your gaming style) follows the same proceedings. Our rubbers can be found here:

The focus of this category lies on all kinds of equipments, which the table tennis player needs in order to perform this sport. Starting from completely mounted table tennis bats to individual rubbers and blades, here you can get everything your heart desires. Via the bat-configurator you can also put together your own, customized table tennis bat.

As a matter of course, we also offer additional materials, like cleaners, glues and balls. Have fun browsing! In case you need personal guidance regarding our products, we will be happy to answer your questions:

The articles and categories of this page were especially designed for clubs. Wishes and preferences of clubs are, however, very special: Sometimes score sheets are needed, sometimes printed samples of jerseys of various brands and in larger quantities. Although TT-SHOP.COM cannot cover the whole spectrum of a wholesaler in stock, we can order and deliver almost all articles of all table tennis brands within 2-5 days.

Are you responsible for a certain section in table tennis? Are you responsible for youth work, new jerseys, training balls or other equipment?

Please don´t hesitate to tell us your specific question. We promote and support voluntary work and also offer special conditions and sales for clubs. If you like our shop and if we arouse your interest, just send us a non-binding inquiry:

Although the focus of TT-SHOP.COM lies more on the needs for clubs, we also offer professional guidance and advice for hobby and recreational players. Especially for the choice of the right bat our category Hobby & Recreation is highly recommendable. If you want to know how club players configure their table tennis bats, please read the description of our bestseller, the professional table tennis bat

We are also happy to answer your questions with respect to any concern in the field of table tennis equipment.

Balls

Table tennis balls may be classified into balls for training and balls for competition. Based on the set of rules of the ITTF table tennis balls exhibit a diameter of 40 mm (before: 38 mm) and are made of either celluloid or plastic. During competitions, either white or orange table tennis balls are permitted. Balls for competition exhibit 3 stars. Balls for training commonly exhibit 1 or 2 stars. Many of those are, however, just equipped with the manufacturer´s logo.

Categorization of the table tennis ball as a sports equipment

In table tennis, there are various so called pieces of sports equipment, which ware more or less essential to perform the sport. Pieces of sports equipments may be in direct (e.g. shoes or bats) or indirect (e.g. balls during rallies) contact to the athlete. In this example, table tennis balls are also essential to perform the sport.

All table tennis balls are made of plastics. They consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms, which form a composite together, a so called molecule. Those molecules contain basic modules, which repeat themselves over and over again, forming even bigger molecules. For this reason, such molecules are called macromolecules (macro=huge, gigantic). Plastics may be divided into various categories. Often, they are divided into thermosetting plastics, thermoplastics and elastomers. Table tennis balls are thermoplastics: If you heat up those materials, they´ll be softer and easier to deform. If you continue the heating process, they´ll eventually melt and even go up in flames. The subsequent cooling they´ll be stiffer and harder to deform again, whereas those processes are repeatable as often as desired.

The brands of table tennis ball

There are incredibly many brands manufacturing balls in both, the recreational and club section. In general, however, all those manufacturers do basically the same thing: Just like in every field, there is a modest number of manufacturing plants producing table tennis balls. Afterwards, the brand companies imprint their logo on the balls. In our shop TT-SHOP.COM, the following products are available:

Table tennis balls - The differences

As already mentioned, there are strict requirements regarding table tennis balls. If those are completely fulfilled (without any quality losses), the balls will get an imprint which consists of 3 stars. Such balls are, therefore, called 3 star balls and are approved and licensed for their use at official competitions. In case the quality of the balls is not completely consistent, they will be used as so called training balls, but also as hobby balls. Hobby balls usually have 1 or 2 stars as an imprint, whereas training balls often do not have any stars (but you can find them with 1 or 2 stars, too). It is important to know that balls with 1, 2, or no star at all still of good quality. They are useful and do not represent "garbage". Additionally, they are more inexpensive compared to 3 star balls.

Table tennis balls made of celluloid

Among the table tennis balls, there are so called celluloid balls. Celluloid (a thermoplastic) is made of camphor and cellulose nitrate. For the production of table tennis balls, thin celluloid plates will be made easier to deform by means of heat. Then, using a technological procedure (deep drawing), they will be formed into 2 hollow spheres. Subsequently, two of the spheres are sticked together using an adhesive (acetone, which is a solvent) and heat, resulting in the final table tennis ball. The adhesive/glue seam are processed further, in order to achieve perfect roundness. Also, the TT balls will be tested with respect to various mechanical properties, such as roundness, diameter, jump and flight behavior, weight, etc. Depending on how strict the requirements will be fulfilled, the balls are classified into celluloid balls for competitions, or into celluloid balls for training purposes. The latter type exhibits a slightly lower quality, but they are not as expensive as the balls for competitions. Therefore, they are recommended for training sessions. Since celluloid is easily inflammable, those balls are manufactured and transported under strict safety regulations. Hence, they are classified as dangerous and hazardous goods. This is a big disadvantage of celluloid balls. In 2014, the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) decided –mainly due to the above mentioned reasons– that only the new plastic table tennis balls are allowed for official competitions. For this reason, the new plastic balls were introduced.

Plastic table tennis balls

Also plastic TT balls are thermoplastics, but they are way less dangerous. Plastic balls, also called poly balls, are somewhat larger than celluloid balls (diameter larger than 40 mm). They are also harder than celluloid balls. This was done in order to slow down the plastic balls a little bit, so that table tennis would be more "visible" and attractive to the public. Another difference is the sound: Plastic balls sound duller than celluloid balls and are less elastic at impact. Furthermore, the new plastic balls are made out of one single piece (and not sticked together using 2 spheres). This results in a higher quality compared to the old celluloid balls.
Of course, also plastic balls are strictly controlled regarding their properties. Therefore, they are also classified into plastic balls for competitions, and plastic balls for training purposes. Similar to the celluloid balls, plastic balls exhibit 3 stars when they are designed for competitions. They have no star (sometimes 1 or 2) when they are intended as training balls. Although in many lower leagues celluloid balls are still very common, one should consider that those balls are prohibited at official competitions. In those cases, only plastic (3 star) balls are permitted. This already suggests that decision toward the new plastic balls should indeed be considered, which is also true for training sessions! For upper leagues, the decision toward plastic balls is commonly clear already. As already mentioned, also lower leagues should think about plastic balls so that no potential will be wasted by unusual new balls. Note that also the acoustic is different between these two table tennis ball types.

Plastic table tennis ball for training purposes

Since 2015 plastic training balls are available in table tennis. The differences between plastic and celluloid balls are mainly the slightly larger diameter and spin acceptance of plastic balls. Of course, this also affects the gaming style and it is, hence, logical to use plastic balls in table tennis (to get familiar with these new balls). Provided that you are (one day) taking part in official competitions. The following table gives summarizes the ball brands which are currently available:

Name

Set of 6

Set of 10

Set of 60

72er

Set of 100

Set of 120

Andro Polyx

39.95 €

Andro Polyxx

59.95 €

DHS Training Balls Cellfree

07.90 €

Donic Coach 40+

59.90 €

Gewo Double Star 40+

49.90 €

Gewo Double Star 40+

49.90 €

Nittaku Training Balls 40+

79.90 €

Stiga Club Poly

04.75 €

74.90 €

Tibhar Syntt Basic 40+

62.90 €

3 star balls made of plastic - An overview

At the beginning, only 3 star plastic balls were available on the market. Later, the producers and companies decided also to include training balls made of plastic. Because of this, the first batch of these balls was something like a test-product: They did not last very long and broke quite easily. Those mistakes are now corrected, as companies state. When buying table tennis plastic balls for competitions, you can save money by ordering large packages (e.g. for the whole club etc.). The following table provides an overview regarding the pack sizes available:

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